Combination ladder



Aug. 11, 1925.

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Patented Aug. 11, 1925.

(UNITED STATES GEORGE D. WERNLI AND WILLARD I-II.

WEBSTER, or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

COMBINATION LADDER.

Application filed February 18, 1924. Serial No. 693,567.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE D. WERNLI and WILLARD M. XVEBsTER, both citizens of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination Ladders, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to combination step and extension ladders, comprising the customary side-rails with treads therebetween, with safety heads positioned on the upper end portions of the rear ladder section.

, The objects of our inventionare first, to construct a pair of ladder sections that may be coupled together to form an extension 7 or a step ladder; second, to construct a joining means between the two ladder sections to provide a safety catch and lock for the step ladder; and third, to provide a self releasing guide means for the extension member of the ladder.

We attain these objects by the construction illustrated in the accompanying draw ing, in Which Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the ladder sections, when set for a step ladder, and is shown in dotted lines when standing on a stairway.

Figure 2 represents a perspective view of the ladder sections, when set up for an ex tension ladder.

Figure 3 represents a line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 represents a fragmentary view on line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 represents a fragmentary view of a modified form of an arm and finger means.

Figure 6 represents a rear view of Figure 5. 1

Referring tothe drawings in which like characters of reference designate similar parts, the ladder sections 1 and 2 are formed by the side rails 15 and 16 respectively, and the steps 9 and 18 are secured between the said rails 15 in the ladder section 1, with the said step 18 positioned as the last upper step member thereof, at a point corresponding with the two heads 3 to form a rest means for the ladder section 2 when being set up as a step ladder, or when being folded togethergand the steps 10 are secured between the said rails 16 in the ladsectional view on tween the arms 4 der section 2. The heads 3 are secured to the top. end portions of the said rails 15 in the ladder section 1. Arms 4 are formed integral with the said heads 3 and extend forwardly parallel with the sides 11 of the rails 16, and fingers 5 extend from the forward ends of said arms over the forward edges 12 of said rails 16. In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6 fingers 5 are hingedly secured to the end portions of arms 4 and extend around the edges 12 of the said side rails 16, and a dog 21 is in turn hingedly secured on the end portion of the said arm 4 in a position to fit adjustably beand the fingers 5, as shown in Figure 5.

The slots 6 are positioned in the upper portions of the heads 3 at a transverse angle to the rails 15, with an opening thereto facing the sides 11 of the rails 16, and another opening thereto facing the guides 7 and stops 14, the said guides 7 being integral with the heads 3 and'positioned over the said slots 6, facing the stops 14, and the top faces of the said stops 14 are positioned in alinement with the lower faces of the slots 6, and extend beyond the said slots 6 a distance, in alinement with the pins 8 and the rollers 23 when the ladder 2 is being lowered as hereinbefore described, the said rollers 23 being operative-1y secured 011 the pins 8, and the pins 8 are in turn secured in the seats 19 in the rails 15, and are positioned at a point in the ladder section 2 to allow'the said rollers 23 to roll over the stops 14, when the said ladder 2 is lowered in-a folded position, as shown in Figure 3, or to roll into the slots 6 when being opened into a standing position, as shown in Figure 1. The stop 17 is operatively positioned around the bottom step 10 on the inner side of one of the rails 16, andis positioned to swing over the steps 9 when the ladder section 2 is being passed over the ladder section 1, and in turn holds the said ladder sections 2 and 1 in their extended positions, as shown in Figure 2. i

It will also be seen that the said slots 6 are provided with seats 22 in the innerlower end portions thereof, and bear downwardly sufliciently to provide seating means for the said pins 8, when the ladder sec tions 1 and 2 are opened into a step ladder as shown in Figure 1, and the said rollers 23 are operatively positioned on the said pins 8 to provide an antifriction means for the said pins 8 when passing over the guides 7 and into the slots 6, respectively.

The function of the heads 3 is to hold the 5 ladder sections 1 and 2 in a step ladder position, by holding the pins 8 and rollers 23 in the seats 22 within the inner-lower ends of the slots 6, and by resting the rails 16 against lower edges of the fingers 5. To 10 hold the said ladder sections 1 and 2 in an extension ladder position, the inner edges of the rails 16 are rested against the steps 9 and 18, and the other edges 12 of the rails 16 are rested against the fingers 5. To extend the ladder section 2 over the ladder section 1, as shown in Figure 2, the rails 16 are first folded between the rails 15, and bear on the steps 9 and 18, the said ladder section 2 may then be passed slidably over the said steps 9 and 18, and beneath the fingers 5, and between the arms 4, as hereinbefore described, or may be extended into a step ladder as shown in Figure 1, by first lowering the ladder section 2 over the said steps 9 and 18, and under the fingers 5, and between the arms 4, until the pins 8 strike the stops 1 1, as hereinbefore described, and the lower ends of the ladder sections 1 and 2 are then separated to allow the pins 8 to pass slidably over the guide members 7 and into the slots 6, by bearing the ends 12 of the rails 16 against the fingers 5, and by sliding the rails 16 over the step 18, and the said pins with their rollers 23 are thus passed into the slots 6 until the back portion of the said slots 6 are reached, and the said pins 8 and rollers 23 are in turn pressed into the seat 22 to form a locking means to prevent the said ladder sections 1 and 2 from separating any further, or from folding together. It will also be noted that the said pins 8 may be transferred to lower levels by being secured through the seats 19 when it is desired to place the said step ladder on an inclined floor, or on stairways in buildings or yards.

Having thus described our invention what we claim is,- a

1. A combination ladder of the class described, comprising a pair of ladder sections, head members secured to the top-ends of the side rails of one of the said ladder sections, arm members on the said head members, finger members on the outer end portions of the said head members adapted to hold the companion ladder section on the first mentioned ladder section, concaved guide members inclining downwardly in a forward direction positioned on the top end portions of the said head members, transverse angularly inclined slot members positioned in the top portions of the said head members, extending a distance into the said head members and opening beneath the said guide members, seat members joining with the inner end portions of the said transverse slots, holding members adapted to be guided forwardly by said inclined guide members into the said transverse angularly inclined slot members and seat members, as set forth.

2. A combination ladder of the class described comprising a pair of ladder sections, head members secured to the top-ends of the side rails of one of the said ladder sections, arm members on the said head members, adjustable finger members positioned on the outer end portions of the said head members adapted to hold the companion ladder section on the first mentioned ladder section, a dog means adapted to hold the said adjustable finger members in locked positions, guide members positioned on the top end portions of the said head members, transverse angularly disposed slot members positioned in the top port-ions of the said head members, extending a distance into the said head members and opening beneath the said guide members, stop members positioned in alinement with the lower faces of the said transverse slot members, holding members adapted to be guided by said guide members into the said transverse slot members, and a seat means on the said companion ladder section adapted to receive said holding members to hold the ladder sections swung apart, as set forth.

3. A combination ladder of the class described, comprising a pair of ladder sections, head members secured to the top-ends of the side rails of one of the said ladder sections, arm members on the said head members, adjustable finger members positioned on the outer end portions of the said head members adapted to hold the companion ladder section on the first mentioned ladder section, a dog means adapted to hold the said adjustable finger members in locked positions, guide members positioned on the top end portions of the said head members, transverse angularly disposed slot members positioned in the top portions of the said head members, extending a distance into the said head members and opening beneath the said guide members, stop members positioned in alinement with the lower faces of the said transverse slot members, holding members adapted to be guided by said guide members into the said transverse slot members, roller members operatively secured on the said holding members, and a seat means on the said companion ladder section adapted to receive said holding members to hold the ladder sections swung apart, as set forth.

In testimony whereof we atfix our signatures.

GEORGE D. WERNLI. WILLARD M. WEBSTER. 

